In The Dreaming: Chapter Twenty Three "It's a Different World" (Fantasy Y/A Novel)

-I wrote the following novel nearly two decades ago. In the years between then and now I've honed my craft, and my perception of this world; my thoughts and ideas; have changed dramatically. However, I still enjoy the premise and have decided to do an overhaul of revisions and rewrites, though likely not until sometime next year. (Though I'm sure I'll do a little as I post chapters)

For now I hope you will enjoy a glimpse into my book writing beginnings...

They are the closest of friends though they have never met in waking life.

Prologue-PT1 Prologue-PT2 Chapter 1

Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7

Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13

Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16

Chapter 17
Chapter 18 Chapter 19

Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Three

It was a forty-five minute drive from the train station to Amy’s aunt’s. A trip made far longer due to the ridiculous amount of traffic through the towns. Even though they made good time on the Long Island Expressway, traffic lights were what seemed like every ten feet through the small cities, and stayed red for an incredible length of time.

“See Jane, this is why we had to move,” Mrs. Hurnard was saying. “I mean really, I can’t believe how long it takes just to go a few miles.”

“Yes, but upstate it takes forever just to find civilization. You don’t even have a McDonald’s within 25 miles of your house!”

“True, but at least the drive is a pretty one.”

They pulled into a driveway of a two story home, white and brown, and Aliyah noticed that all the houses on the street had the exact same style roof. The front yard was tiny, and the neighbors were within a pebble’s throw on either side. Of course there were places like that upstate, but not where she herself lived.

A couple of guys came out the door, they were obviously Amy’s older cousins as she bolted out of the car and ran to them for hugs.

“Aliyah, come here and meet Kiefer and Cody!”

Aliyah walked over smiling shyly. “Hello.”

“Hey there kiddo, you’re an upstater, huh?” Kiefer, the older of the two was a big teenager with long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail. He had a winning smile.

“Tell us,” Cody jumped in, “Do you have any Amish friends?”

Aliyah giggled. “No, they aren’t allowed to hang out with us modern people, we’re bad influences.”

“Oh yeah, I can see that, little hellions the two of you,” Kiefer joked.

“Uncle Will!”

A man who looked about 40 with huge glasses stepped onto the porch, smiling.

“Hey mo, come give me a kiss.”

After the introductions were made they were ushered inside where Aunt Jane had an array of sandwich meat trays, cheese and cracker trays, and veggie trays awaiting them.

“Oooh, Aliyah, you have got to try these little bologna’s, even if you don’t normally like bologna, you will love this. What they call bologna upstate is garbage.”

Aliyah piled her sandwich with every different kind of meat and cheese, sampling each one. It was the best lunch meat she had ever had by far, and the bread was exquisite.

They finished eating and she was stuffed.

“I thought today,” Aunt Jane was saying, “we could go into town and check out the sidewalk sales. Then we can rent some movies tonight, and tomorrow we’ll head off to the beach, what do you think Mary?”

“Sounds good to me,” Mrs. Hurnard smiled. “It’s so good to be here, I do wish Walt could have come.”

“I know, tell my louse brother that I’m going to brain him for standing us up.”

“Oh Jane, believe me he would rather be here.”

“I know, I know. That lousy job, he ought to tell them just where they can stick it.”

“You are too much. What about the party you're having, what can I do to help?”

“Well we were initially going to have a barbecue here, but so many people had plans for the holiday weekend it looks like besides us there will only be about ten others. We decided we may as well have it on our boat, cruise over to fire Island, how does that sound?”

“Oh that sounds wonderful!”

Aliyah listened to the rapport with a grin. She really liked Amy’s family, something about them was different than people from her neck of the woods. It must be the city life, they seemed like they were always ready to joke and laugh. Of course that could just be Amy’s family itself.

“Are we going to the party?” She asked Amy.

“Of course, and now they’re having it on the cabin cruiser, you’re going to love this!”

Aliyah felt elated, she was not only going to see the ocean, swim in the ocean, she was now going to be out on the ocean in a boat. Fantastic.

“Hey mom, Kenny’s coming over to pick me up, have you seen my A J t-shirt?”

“No Cody, I haven’t. You don’t want to come sidewalk shopping with us my piglet?”

“Quit that mom, no, we’re going over to Jones Beach. Chrissy and Tara are meeting us there.”

“Ohhh, I see. Give Chrissy a kiss for me,” she threw him his t-shirt.

“I will.”

“What about you Kiefer, coming with us?”

“Huh?” Kiefer was deeply into a football game and barely glanced up. “Oh!! Shit, bad pass. Come on, what’s with you guys!” He turned back to his mom and pointed at the screen with a “What do you think?” expression.

Jane shook her head. “Boys. You should count yourself lucky, only one child and it’s a girl. A nice, feminine, will always love to shop with you, girl.”

Aliyah was still absorbing the use of foul language by teenagers being perfectly acceptable and missed what else was said.

“Okay, well we’re going.” She picked up her purse and rummaged inside.

“Later Ma,” Kiefer stuck his arm in a bag of pretzels, leaned forward and swore at the T.V. again.

Amy went over behind him and hugged his neck, he gave her arm a few affectionate pats then turned quickly to kiss her cheek.

“See, he talks rough, but he’s a big teddy bear.”

Aliyah laughed, “I see.”

“What about Uncle Will, I would think he’d be in here watching the game too,” Amy asked her aunt.

“Oh, why don’t you take a peek out into the backyard?”

Amy stuck her head out the door and Aliyah looked over her shoulder. They both giggled at the sight of Uncle Will sitting by the garden, ho in hand, with a small radio blaring scores.

“That’s what he calls “multitasking,” Aunt Jane laughed. “Are we ready?”

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